Netflix’s upcoming holiday film That Christmas will feature cameos from two very recognisable voices from the world of British broadcasting.
Based on the Love Actually director’s trilogy of beloved children’s books, the animated film follows the residents of an idyllic seaside town during a chaotic Christmas after Santa (played by Brian Cox) makes a big mistake.
Doctor Who ’s Jodie Whittaker, About Time’s Bill Nighy and Killing Eve ’s Fiona Shaw co-star and Simon Otto will direct from a script penned by Curtis himself.
Netflix has now confirmed the exciting news that presenters Dermot O’Leary and Jordan North will cameo as a pair of Christmas tree sellers.
“Mr Chop (Dermot) and Mr Hack (Jordan) run the Christmas tree stall in winter, trim your hedges in the summer and spend a little too much time in the pub in spring and autumn!” an official description reads.
Dermot is best known for currently presenting ITV ’s This Morning with Alison Hammond on Fridays, while North is the host of the Capital Breakfast Show.
The former was able to announce the exciting news of this week’s edition of the Friday talk show, and he couldn’t have been more thrilled to step into the world of animation.
His co-star Alison remarked: “Dermot O’Leary, genuinely is in a Hollywood movie, a blockbuster for Christmas!”
Dermot confirmed: “I play, the part of Mr Chop, it’s some of my finest work.”
After This Morning aired a sneak peek at his role, he added: “Thanks everyone! It means an awful lot to me, thanks.”
Writer-director Curtis is most heralded for his other Christmas classic, Love Actually, and he has also penned the likes of Yesterday, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral.
In a statement, he said: “This has been the most amazing adventure, my first animated film.
“It’s been especially exciting to see the whole world I imagined come to life beyond my wildest dreams – and populated by a dream bunch of actors, their wonderful voices turned into such rich and funny characters.”
Learn more
Sky has brought back its viral free trial, meaning you can bag a Netflix subscription and Sky Stream for £0 for the first month, offering customers a saving of £31.
This means members can enjoy binge-worthy shows like House of the Dragon, The Walking Dead and Bridgerton without paying a penny.
Director Otto, who is best known for his work on the How To Train Your Dragon films, said: “Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was one of the biggest Christmas traditions in my family.
“But never could I have imagined that one day I would get the chance to direct a Christmas film written by the one-and-only Richard Curtis and collaborate with some of the most iconic voice talents.
“Watching this cast bring life to these heart-warmingly funny tales and infuse them with the magic of animation is truly a dream come true. I hope That Christmas becomes a cherished tradition for audiences worldwide.”
Also starring are Lolly Adefope, Katherine Parkinson, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan and Rhys Darby.
That Christmas will be released Wednesday, December 4 on Netflix.
This post was originally published on here
